As the crown acquired more iwi land for Pakeha settlement the wider iwi was invited to settle in Porirua by Ngati Maunu, the senior hapū of Ngāti Toa.

Families came from Pukerua Bay and Taupo Pa, now known as Plimmerton.

In 1889 the settlement moved from Te Urukahika (now called Elsdon) to its current location, and became the primary home to Ngāti Toa Rangatira.

[4] Takapūwāhia is combined with the neighbouring suburb of Elsdon for statistical purposes.

[5] Mana College is a co-educational state secondary school for Year 9 to 13 students,[6] with a roll of 500 as of November 2024.